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| Source:Big Think- The Nation Magazine publisher Katrina Vanden Heuvel, actually talking about modern Socialists. (Or Social Democrats, if you prefer) |
"Katrina vanden Heuvel on the Modern Liberal"
From Big Think
People who are called "Modern Liberals" today are actually Democratic Socialists and are not Liberals at all, really. Even though they have liberal leanings on social issues which I commend them as a real Liberal.
People who are called "Modern Liberals" today are actually Democratic Socialists and are not Liberals at all, really. Even though they have liberal leanings on social issues which I commend them as a real Liberal.
People who would be called "Modern Liberals", call themselves that or Progressives. Instead of Democratic Socialists, even though Senator Bernie Sanders views himself as a Democratic Socialist and obviously the Democratic Socialists USA in America, views themselves as Democratic Socialists.
And if you look at the issues, people who call themselves Democratic Socialists and people who call themselves Modern Liberals, agree on almost everything. Especially the role of government and especially the role of the Federal Government.
And if you look at the issues, people who call themselves Democratic Socialists and people who call themselves Modern Liberals, agree on almost everything. Especially the role of government and especially the role of the Federal Government.
I can understand why Democratic Socialists who aren't comfortable with that term, because of how unpopular the term socialism is in America and the negative stereotypes that come with that. But thats a political calculation on their part, rather than a accurate description of their politics.
As an actual Liberal myself and not a Democratic Socialist or a Socialist in any form, I don't use the term Socialist or Democratic Socialist as a negative term or a partisan term. But a description of their politics. Whatever one's politics are and wherever they are on the political spectrum, they should know exactly what they are and be honest about it. If they are articulate and intelligent enough to sell their politics so to speak, to win popular support whether their political views are popular at the time or not.
If people can sell their politics, because they are articulate and intelligent, they'll at the end of the day be able to sell their political views and policies and win popular support. Because voters at the end of the day will look at them and say:"You know what, I didn't like this persons policies before, because I used to think this about them, but they actually make sense to me and I'll vote for them."
Liberalism (classical or modern or in between) is about freedom and responsibility for the individual as long as they are not hurting anyone else with their freedom. As well as limited government, equal opportunity for all. It's not about collectivism and the welfare state, which are socialist values. Democratic socialism and liberalism are two different political ideology's, not one in the same.
A few things that I like about what Katrina Vanden Heuvel said about liberalism is that its about equal opportunity, empowerment, equal justice, free thinking. That people should be able to think for themselves and not feel the need to agree with everyone or anyone else even if other people hold the popular views at the time. These values don't sound socialist at all. These are true liberal value and if The Nation Magazine and other New-Left social democratic publications actually held these views and promoted these values, then they would be truly liberal publications.
As an actual Liberal myself and not a Democratic Socialist or a Socialist in any form, I don't use the term Socialist or Democratic Socialist as a negative term or a partisan term. But a description of their politics. Whatever one's politics are and wherever they are on the political spectrum, they should know exactly what they are and be honest about it. If they are articulate and intelligent enough to sell their politics so to speak, to win popular support whether their political views are popular at the time or not.
If people can sell their politics, because they are articulate and intelligent, they'll at the end of the day be able to sell their political views and policies and win popular support. Because voters at the end of the day will look at them and say:"You know what, I didn't like this persons policies before, because I used to think this about them, but they actually make sense to me and I'll vote for them."
Liberalism (classical or modern or in between) is about freedom and responsibility for the individual as long as they are not hurting anyone else with their freedom. As well as limited government, equal opportunity for all. It's not about collectivism and the welfare state, which are socialist values. Democratic socialism and liberalism are two different political ideology's, not one in the same.
A few things that I like about what Katrina Vanden Heuvel said about liberalism is that its about equal opportunity, empowerment, equal justice, free thinking. That people should be able to think for themselves and not feel the need to agree with everyone or anyone else even if other people hold the popular views at the time. These values don't sound socialist at all. These are true liberal value and if The Nation Magazine and other New-Left social democratic publications actually held these views and promoted these values, then they would be truly liberal publications.
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